Diving apparatus.



PATENTED FEB. 27', 1906.

T. IWANAMI & M. R. WOODWARD.

DIVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 001*. 11,1905,

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DIVING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED 0GT.11, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT V OFFICE.

OF COLUMBIA.

DlVlNG APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed October 11,1905. Serial No- 282.325.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, TAKAO IWANAMI and MARK R. WOODWARD, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Diving Apparatus, of which the following This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in diving apparatus; and the main object of our invention is to provide apparatus of such a character that the air-supply for the diver is automatically controlled independently of the attendant, thus making it'possible to reduce the number of attendants usually-required for each diver.

To this end we-preferably arrange the airsupply or the mechanism for supplying the air in adevice which is capable of floating, and yet may be supported out of the water when desirable. :In the preferred embodiment' of our invention the mechanism for supplyin the air is electrically operated and container within the device, which we shall hereinafter term a float, and with this apparatus is also combined means controlled by the pressure of water surrounding the diver for automatically pumping more air as the diver descends into deeper Water. We also employ a device for signaling the location of the diver and means for permitting electrical communication between the diver and his attendant.

With this object in view our invention may be said to consist of diving apparatus the preferable embodiment of which is shown in the accompanying drawin s and hereinafter more particularly described and then set forth by the claims at the end hereof.

- In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this application, Figure 1 shows our complete apparatus; Fig. 2 shows a side view of part of the diving-armor, mostly in section. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the float. Fig. 4 is a similar section of the float,

taken at right angles to that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the float. Fig. 6 is a perspective view'of the float arranged upon a truck or carriage. Fig. 7 is a top plaii view of the truck or carriage. Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views, taken at right angles to each other, of the flexible connection between the float and the pipe extending. to

the diver. Fig. 10 free diagrammatic view of the electrical connections. Fig. 11 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of the mechanism for automatically controlling the air-supply to the diver. Fig. 12 is a sectional view of the pipes and cable connecting the float with the diver. Fig. 13. shows a series of detail views of a device'by which the operator may signal his attendant.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the float, which is connected by a flexible joint 2 with the hose 4 for connecting the float with the suit or armor 5. The float 1 is preferably of the construction shown in detail in Figs. 3, 4; 5, and 6, and as there'shown this float is formed of the main part 1 and the supplemental top portion 7, which is bolted, as seen at 8, to said main part 1. Within the body portion 1 of the float iscontained an air-compressor comprising the three cylinders 10, connected with and operated from a crank-shaft 12, rotating in the bearings 14, supportedfrom the frames 16. (Shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4.) Between these frames are arranged electrical batteries, preferably of the storage type, (designated 17 and 18,) there being two on one side and three on the other. Immediately over the batteries 17 is located an electric motor 19, which is driven by current from the batteries 17 and 18 and whose gear 20 operates a similar gear 22, connected with the crank-shaft 12. The constructii -n is such that current from the batteries operates the motor 19 to propel the three-cylinder air-engine to pump air from the chamber in which the motor and engines are connected through the hose 24 to the divers suit, the air passing through this flexible hose 24, which extends through the aforesaid outer hose 4 down to the head-piece 28 of the divers armor, as indicated in Fig. 2. In this figure it will be seen that the air is delivered through the end of the aforesaid hose 2% so that it will be near the face of the diver. It will thus be seen that the fresh-air supply is arranged in just the proper position to enable the diver to always have a supply of fresh air. For the return-pipe we employ. the outer hose 4, which has before been describedas inclosing the fresh-air-sup ly hose 24, and by a further inspection of ig. 2 it will be seen that the air passes from the rear of the head-piece of the armor, and returning through the outer flexible hose 4 the air passes into a separate chamber 34. (Seen best in Fi 3.) Byreferring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4 it will be seen that we are enabled to maintain a fresh supply of air and at the same time prevent this air from being vitiated by the air exhaled by the diver. To this end we form the upper end of the chamber containing the compressors with. a short contracted stack 36, provided with an open upper end having a canopy 38 thereon. The supplemental upper part 7 of the float incloses this canopy and has an opening 40 at the upper end thereof, through which the canopy slightly projects, the upper portion 7 also having a series of escape-openmgs 42. The object of this construction is to make it possible for the air to enter the openings 40 above the canopy 38 and to pass into the stack 36 under the can opy and be pumped from thence through the hose 24 to the diver, and at the same time if any water should enter through the openings 40 the canopy will prevent the water from passing directly into the stack 36, while the openings 42 .will permit said water to escape as fast as it can enter. It will thus be seen that we have devised. a float which will at all times, no matter how rough the water may be, provide an ample supply of fresh air with absolutely no danger of the supply be ing endangered by the entry of water into the apparatus. It will also be observed that we employ a partition 42 to separate from the fresh-air cl'iamber within the upper part 7 a chamber 34, into which the upper end of the exhaust empties. The outer wall of the upper part 7 of the float also forms the outer wall of this chamber 34 and is provided with a series of openings through which the cxhaust-air may escape to the atmosphere, part of these openings 44 being arranged. at the lowest point in order that should any water enter it may readily escape. in order to further in.-

sure that the supply of air pumped from the chamber containing the con'ipressors may be pure, we employ tubes 48 to conduct the.

gases from the batteries 17 and 18, which tubes pass through the partition 42 (see Fig. 4) into the exhaust-chamber 34, from which the gases escape through the openings 44. The main chamber is also provided with a small pump 10 having one pipe 10" passing down to the bottom of the chamber, Fig. 3, and another pipe 10 passing up into the upper part 7. The piston-rod of this pump is connected by a bar 1O with the piston-rod of one of the compressor-cylinders, so that it will act to pump any water which may get into the main chamber up to the upper part 7, from which it may escape through theopenings 42.

In order that the float maybe used out of the water, as upon a dock or wharf, or be easily transported, we prefer to form on its exterior wall a series projections 45, which are arranged rest upon a circular support 46, formed upon atruck or carri (5 and 7; but it will be manifest that our invention is not limited to this arrangement. 5efore leaving the description of the iloat proper We may also add that by removing the head of the upper part 7 the hose 4 and the rope conneetingthe diver with the attendants boat may be stored therein.

' Another novel feature closely connected with the float is an arrangement to insure that the float will always be kept in the proper vertical position. In Fig. 1 the lloat is connected to the hose 4 by means of a flexible connection 2. By referring to Figs. 8 and 9 this flexible connection will be seen in. sectional views. The freshair hose 24 is flexible, so as to assume any position desired, and this hose passes, as before described, diroot from the con'ipressor chamber to the diver. The cxhaust-hose 4 surronfdS this hose 24 and is connected by the elaihp 46 to the lower end of a metallic ring 48. This ring 48 forms partof a universal joint, which also comprises a similar ring 49, provided at the upper end of the flexible connection, and. these two rings 48 and 49 have cars 50 and 51 projecting from. them, which are connected together by a central section 525., provided with upwardl'ynojccting cars 54 and downwardly-projecting cars 55. pivotally connected with the ears 5], pro jecting from the upper ring 49, and the cars 55 are pivotally connected with the cars 50 on the lower ring 54, and inasmuch as the pivots(designated 57 and 58) are arranged at right angles to each other it will be manifest that the universal joint will permit the joint to give in one direction on the pivots 57 and at right angles on the pivots 58, so that the universal joint will accommodate itself to any desired movement. Inasmuch as the universal joint just described may be constructed of metal, it provides a positive metal connection between the float and the hose extending to the divers suit, and the flexible covering 2 is provided to retain the air in its passage from one of the heads 48 as it returns through the hose 4 to the other ring 49 as the air passes to the float to exhaust through the openings 44 of the eXhaust-cl'iamber 34.

Extending from the float is a cable 56, (see Fig. 4,) two of the wires of this cable extending through the cable 53 to the attendants boat, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The other end of the cable extends to the divcfrs suit, and a diagram of the circuits is shown'in Fig. H). In this diagram the batteries IT'and It; are shown connected in series. ()ne of the wires runs from this battery to the motor in, the other wire from the motor extending back to the batteries through a series of resistancecoils, which will be hereinafter more particularly de.--cribcd. The cable 58 is for the purpos of connecting a telephoneinstrument (31, Fig. 10, in the attendants boat. nith a tele- The cars 54 are 9 sisaei 1 phone'instriiment 62 the diver s suit, the

The resistance-coils which have been re- .ferred to in the description of Fig. 10 are shown more particularly in Fig. 11, and this part of the apparatus will now be described. At the rear of the head-piece 28 of the divers armor is a casing 70 with an open end 71. A piston 72 works within this casing 70, so that the watenpressure is exerted upon it through the open end"? 1. Surrounding the rod of this piston is a coiled spring 73, which operates I between the piston and a stop 74, the purpose of this spring being to throw the piston toward the open end. When the piston is in this position, the current from the batteries asses from the piston-rod'7 5 (which is connected with one terminal wire) through. all the resistance-coils 76 before passing through the other terminal wire. l/Vhen the parts are in the position shown inthis figure, the motor is propelled at its slowest speed; but as it becomes necessary to propel the motor 19 with more current, owing to the increased pressure caused by the diver descending into deep water, the increase of pressure due to the lower depth also acts upon. the piston 72, thus moving the inner'end of the piston-rod and cutting out the first one of the resistancecoils 7 6. A larger amount of current will be supplied to the motor, which will thus be able to pump the proper amount of air to the diver. It is obvious that greater pressure on the piston 72 will force said piston farther inward, cutting out more of the coils, thus running the motor with still more power, the

maximum power of the motorbeing developed when the piston is moved inward until the inner end of the piston-rod contacts with the Y last coil, thus cutting out all of the coils.

'. more pressure is exerted by the greater depth From the foregoing and the accompanyin drawings it will be seen that we have devise apparatus which enables us to automaticallycontrol the motor so as to pump'more air as of water. This construction will also be found of service with or without a non-collap sible suit. When a collapsible suit 18 used, so that greater pressure is necessary asthe the water to a great diver descends into device may be usedto depth, this automatic keep the proper pressure within the suit. We

prefer, however, to use a non-collapsible diving suit or armor, such as shown in Fig. 2,wh1ch comprises a plurality of thicknesses of material 80 and 81,

Another cir-v strengthened by metal bands 82. l divers suit, substantia No claim, however, is made to the details of this armor-suit, notwithstanding the fact that such details are shown in our drawings in order that our invention .may be more fully understood. p

In addition to the telephonic signaling device we also prefer to employ an air signaling device. (Illustrated particularly in Fig. 13.) This device comprises a flexible bulb 84, attached to the suit, as indicated inFig. 13 and preferably. in the position shownin Fig. 1. One end of this bulb opens into the interior controlled by' a valve 86. The outer end of the bulb has a slitted opening 87 in the exposed end 88 of the bulb. This exposed end .of the suit through an aperture 85, which is is of such a shape as to normally keep the opening 87 closed but whenever the diverwishes to permit the air to escape from his spit, and'thus'signal the attendant by permitting the air-bubbles to escape to the surface of the water, he may press the exposed end of this bulb, thus opening the slit 87, as shown I in the lower illustration of Fig. 18, when the air will pass out through the opening into the bulb and through the opening 8'7 to the water, and thence naturallyrise to the surface.

The various parts of'o'ur invention have been described with such particular attention to details that it is believed any long description of the operation is unnecessary, yet it maybe well to state that when the diver descends. from the attendants boat (shown in Fig. 1) he is furnishedwith a constant supply of fresh 'air from .the compressor operated automatically by the electric motor 19, which forces the fresh air, which has been drawn in throu h the upper section7 through the inner Ie hose 24 to the divers suit, and the exhaust-air returns through the outer hose 4, entering the exhaust-chamber 34.and passing through the openings 44 to the atmosphere. At the same time the diver may be" in communication by telephone with the attendant or may inform the attendantof his location by squeezing the bulb 84 to permit the air-bubbles to rise to the surface of the water.

It is manifest that we do not limit our invention to the apparatus shown, as various modifications may be made without departing from 'the spirit of our invention, the scope of. which is set forth by the appended claims.

What we claim as new is,. i 1 In diving apparatus, a float, a divers suit, and means contained in said float for supplying air to said suit comprising a source of air-supply independent of attendants arranged to furnish air at-a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere, substantially as described.

2. In diving apparatus, a float, a connection between said float and the divers suit, and pumping means located in said float for furnishin a supply of air to the ly as described.

divers suit, a

3. In diving apparatus, a divers suit, a float, a connection between said float and the divers suit, and motor-driven means within said float for furnishing a supply of air to the divers suit, substantially as described.

4. In diving apparatus, a float divided into compartments, one compartment containing a motor-driven air-compressor and-having a connection therefrom to the diver, and a connection from the other compartment to the diver whereby fresh air is delivered from one compartment to the diver and exhaled air from the diver exhausted throughthe other compartment, and means for permitting the escape of any water entering the float, sub stantially as described.

5. In diving apparatus, a float divided into compartments, one of said compartments having means for furnishing air to a diver, and another compartment near the top of the float having an opening near its topi'or admi ting air and an opening for permitting the water to escape, and means of communication between said compartments, substantially as described.

6. In diving apparatus, a float divided into compartments, one of said compartments being located near the top of the float and having an opening to admit airand an opening near its bottom for permitting water to escape, and another of said compartments having means for supplying air to the diver and provided with a stack entering the upper compartm'ent and having communication therein,

substantially as described.

7. In diving apparatus, a float divided into compartments, one of said compartments being located near the top of the float and having an opening to admit air and an opening near its bottom for'permittingwater to escape, and another of said compartments having means for supplying air to the diver and provided with a stack entering the upper compartment and having communication theree with, and another compartment also connecting with the atmosphere and having the exhaust from the diver connected thereto, substantially as described.-

8. In diving apparatus, a float divided into compartments, one of said compartments be ing located near the top of the float and having an opening to admitair and an opening near its bottom to permit Water to escape,

and another of said compartments having an air-compressor therein for su pplying air to the diver, and an elec ric motor and a battery for operating said compressor, substantially as described.

9. In diving apparatus, a float for supplyingair to a (llVil, mums lrwated within the float for sup ying ai. to a diver, a hose connecting tin: ii ii, to the diver, and a universal joint between said [loat and said hose, substantially as described.

tions pivoted at right angles to each other and having a flexible covering, substantially as described. 4

11. In diving apparatus, means for supplying air to a diver, said means being overned by pressure of water surrounding the diver, substantially as described.

12. In diving. apparatus, electrically-operated means for supplying air to the diver, and a device controlled by the pressure of water for governing said electrically-operated means, substantially as described.

13. In diving apparatus, electrically-operated means for supplying air to a diver, and a device controlled by the pressure of the water for governing said electrically-operated means, said device comprising a piston and a series of resistance-coils, substantially as described.

14. In diving apparatus, a float, a compress'or located therein for supplying air 'to the diver, a motor for operating said compressor, and means on the divers suit controlled by the pressure of the water for governing said motor, substantially as described.

-15. In diving apparatus, a float, a compressor located therein forsupplying air to the diver, a motor for operating said. compressor, and means on the divers suit controlled by the pressure of the water for governing said motor, said means comprising a piston and a series of resistance-coils, substantially as described.

16. In diving apparatus, a float, a compressor contained in said float for supplying air to a diver, said float being provided with air inlet openings and water-exit openings, and a pump for torcing water from-the float out of said exit-openings, substantially as described.

17. In diving apparatus, a divers suit, means for supplying air thereto, means for signaling the location of the diver comprising a flexible bulb located on said divers suit, said bulb having a normally closed opening adapted to open when pressure is applied thereto, substantially as described.

18. In diving apparatus, a float, a connection between said float and a divers suit, and

means within the float, operating independently of the attendants, for supplying air to the diver at a pressure greater than that of the atmosphere, substantially as described. Signed by us at Washington, District of Columbia, this 19th day of ceptember, 1905, TAKAO IWANAMI.

MARK R. IVOODVVARD. lVltDOSSGSI F. A. BAnRoN, M. BARRON. 

